Effects of Dingkun Dan combined with Western medicine on endometrial β-catenin, VEGF and MMP-9 mRNA expression in rats with multiple lesions

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of Dingkun Dan on endometrial receptivity in rats with multiple lesions. Forty SD female rats with regular sexual cycle were randomly divided into 5 groups, control group, model group, progynova group, Dingkun Dan group and combination group. The thin endometrium model of kidney-yang deficiency was established in all the other rats except normal control group. The rats in normal control group were free to drink and eat; the rats in the model group were administered with distilled water; the rats in the progynova group were treated with progynova; rats in Dingkun Dan group were treated with Dingkun Dan, and the rats in combination group were treated with Dingkun Dan and progynova. After 15 days, serum levels of OPN, VEGF and MMP-9 were measured by ELISA. HE staining, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to analyze endome-trial morphology, endometrial thickness and the treatment mechanism of Dingkun Dan. As compared with the control group, the serum levels of OPN, VEGF and MMP-9 in the model group were significantly increased(P<0.01). As compared with the model group, the serum levels of OPN and MMP-9 were decreased in Dingkun Dan group(P<0.05, P<0.01). As compared with the control group, endometrial stromal cells were fewer, the endometrium glands and blood vessels were sparse, and the endometrium was thinner significantly in the model group(P<0.01). As compared with the model group, there were more endometrial glands, rich intimal vessels, and dense stromal cells in various treatment groups, and the endometrium were thickened significantly in the treatment groups(P<0.01). As compared with the control group, the expression area of CK19 in the model group was decreased significantly(P<0.01). As compared with the model group, the expression area of CK19 in each treatment group was increased significantly(P<0.05). As compared with the control group, endometrial β-catenin and MMP-9 mRNA expression levels were increased significantly in the model group(P<0.05), while VEGF mRNA expression was decreased(P<0.05). As compared with the model group, MMP-9 mRNA expression was decreased significantly in the progynova group and the combination group(P<0.05). Dingkun Dan combined with progynova can improve endometrial receptivity by up-regulating expression of β-catenin, VEGF mRNA and down-regulating the expression of MMP-9 mRNA in the injury rats.